Anchor, grapnel, and the like.



C. C. SHERMAN L H. 0. IVIOCK.

ANCHOR, GRAPNEL, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I?. 1918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ANCHOR, GHAPN'EL, AND 1HE LIKE. APPLIcAmH HLED 11111.11. 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1,295,076. f Patented Feb. 18, 1919."

I/vvENToR CARLTON GOLLING'WOOD SHERMAN AND HERBERT OCTAVIUS MDCK, 0F LONDON,

. ENGLAND.

ANCHOR, GRAPNEL, AND THE LIKE.

Y Application filed January 17, 1918.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, CARLTON COLLING- woon SHERMAN, commander R. N., and HER- BERT OoTAviUs Moon, lieutenant commander R. N. V. R.,subjects ofthe King of England, residing in London7 England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anchors, Grapnels, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of an improved form of anchors, grapnels or the like for use vwith submarine mines, submersible and above water craft, and other buoyant bodies which are required at times to be moored.

In boat anchors, and grapnels vand like devices for use with marine life saving apparatus and for raising submarine cables, it has been proposed to employ pivoted flukes or barbs which in the case of boat anchors automatically open when the vanchoris dropped and automatically close on the anchor being weighed and entering the hawse pipe, and in the case of life saving apparatus are adapted to fall outward on firing a rocket or projectile carrying the grapnel, or on the grapnel striking the ground, the iukes when once opened being in some cases prevented fr 13m moving inward by afspring locking bo t.

An anchor, grapnel or the like according to this invention is broadly of the type having pivoted or folding linkes orl barbs` and comprises a shank connected to the anchor chain, cable or the like, a body portion in which the shank is slidably mounted to be displaceable in the direction of its longitudinal axis by the tension in the anchor chain, and iukes pivoted to the body portion and adapted to fall outward on the outer displacement of the shank, with or without means for preventing the flukes from returning to the closed position.

According to one form of anchor or grapnel embodying this invention the flukes are pivotally mounted near the lower endin a body, sleeve or like member,'hereinafter referred to as the body, in which the shank has a limited sliding movement. The body may have any desired shapeand may, if desired be provided with recesses or housings to receive the flukes when completely folded, in which condition the anchor, grapnel or the like as a whole, presents a perfectly smooth surface of a spherical, conical, stream-like or .i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

serial No; 212,369.

any other suitable form. The upper end of the shank is connected to the mooring cable or like member and the lower end is provided with means which operate to open the liukes automatically when the anchor is dropped. These means may consist of a cam or cams or an enlargement, or the like on the lower end of the shank engaging with the inner projecting ends of the flukes.

When an anchor or grapnel as above constructed is dropped, the shank moves through the body to the extent of its limited travel and causes the fiukes to be thrown out by the operation of their lower pivoted ends. When such an anchor or grapnel is to be used -with submarine mine where it is particularly advantageous tohave the flukes folded until the whole apparatus is launched, it is necessary t0 provide a locking means to maintain the flukes permanently in the open position after the anchor has been dropped. Such locking means may consist conveniently of one or more spring plungers mounted either in the shank or in the body and cooperating with recesses or holes in the bodyor shank respectively, engagement of the two parts taking place only when the shank and body occupy such relative positions as correspond to the flukes being fully open.

For ordinary use for boats and like p-urposes the locking mechanism may be dispensed with as the tension vin the anchor cable keeps the flukes out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sectional views showing the device in open and closed position, respectively.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view.

Fig. 4: is a plan view.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, Figs. l to 4 illustrate a construction of anchor particularly applicable for use with submarine mines, which fulfils the function of the usual plummet weight for releasing the winding drum of the mooring rope and giving the depth setting of the mine in the well known way, and also serves as a backing anchor for the sinker of the mine.

As illustrated in Figs. l to 4, the anchor consists of a body or sleeve portion 1, hereinafter referred to as the body, which is of conical shape for the greater part of its length and has a rounded bottom 2 provided with a central bore 3 suitably shaped for the Y flukes outward.v In the outward movementefficiency in working. The shank 7 is slid ably mounted in the bore 3 and is provided with a hole or other means at the upper end for securing the chain or cable of the anchor and with a iiange or flanges 8 which is beveled or rounded at' the upper edge 9 and limits the upward movement of the shank by engaging' with the body portion 1 and serves to effect the operations hereinafter described.

'The body 1 is conveniently 'hollowed out to house the chain or the like when the anchor is not in use, and a suitable cover plate may be provided to close the upper end and pre* vent the chain from falling out and fouling any of the minel gearrduring the transit or launching, the cover plate being connected to the siiiker ,so as to bedetached on the mine gear entering the water, or being displaced by the chain itself.

The shank 1s provided with a central recess, or bore 10 to house a spring 11 connectedv to a pin or the like 12 mounted in a plugl 13 serving to close the lower end of 'the-bore 3 and shaped to conform to the contour of the rounded bottom. l t

At a suitable position or positions in the body 1, one or more recessings or housings 14 -are formed Yeach to receive a spring bolt 175 Awhich normally projects into theV bore 3, suitable ring, loop or the like 1 6 being provided on vthe outer end of the bolt to allow it to be withdrawn inward by hand or otherwise whenv desired. n

When the shank is in the innermost position with kthe flukes closed, the flange 8 prevents any outward movements of the fiukes. On tension being put on the anchor chain or cable the shank is drawn outward, the flukesl opening out under their own weight as soon as the flange 8 is opposite the recess 6, or Vif the iiukes do not fall outward under their own weight the flange '8' engages the upper shoulder of the recesses and turns the of,v the shank the beveled or roundedportion 9 of the upper face of the flange 8 engages theJ proj-eetinend of the spring bolt 15 forcingi it inward against the spring, the bolt returning' to its original position on the flange passing the same, thereby preventing` any possibility of the shank moving inward to any exten-t and consequently preventing the flukes from closing, until the spring bolt Y has been' retracted the ring or ,loop 16. The outward movement ofthe Hukes is preferab'ly limited by the upper shoulders of the recessed ends abutting against suitably shaped vportions of the body 1.

To facilitate stowage and' transport. and topnevent any possibility of the lukes opening out before the anchor is actually to be used, a locking pin or bolt 17 may be provided, passing into the body 1 and engaging a groove vor recess 18 is the shank 7, the bolt being secured againstaccidental withdrawal by a band, wire or the like 19 passing around By using an anchor plummet askabove de-V scribed for submarine mines, a backing anchor is provided for'the sinker preventing the same from being displaced alongthe sea. Y

bottom.

Having now particularly described and' ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performechwe declare that what we claim is 1. YA device for use as an anchor', `grapnel or the like comprising a body portion, flukes pivoted to said body portion, a shank mounted in said body portion for controllingthe movement of saidjiukes and means for automatically returning the shank to position to close said nukes. p y i 2. A device for use as an anchor, grapnel or the like comprising a body portion, flukes pivoted to said body portion and a shankY mounted in said body portion and operatively Y',

engaged with saidk lukes for controllingtheir movements, said shank having "a portionY thereofvadapted t o enter into binding fen-r gagement with said lukes for maintaining them'in open or closed position..

AicsY 3. A device for use as an anchor, vrapnel or the like comprising a body.- portion, flukes n pivoted to said body portion, a shank mounti ed in said body portion and operativelyenf gaged with said flukes for controlling their! movements, said shank having a portion thereof adapted to enter into bindingenthem in Vopen or closed position, and means for locking the shank in position to maintain'4 or tlie'like comprising ,a body portion, flukesY gagement with said fiukes for maintaining".

pivoted to" said body portion, ashank con-'f nested to the anchor chain or like member slidable longitudinally in said body portion n,

and having its lower end ianged, said anged end being operatively engaged with said lukes for controlling their movements and maintainingthem in open or closed position, a spring connected to said shank and tending to normally hold same in position Whereby said flukes are maintained closed and means for locking the shank in opposite position against the action of said spring Whereby said lukes are maintained open.

5. A device for use as an anchor, grapnel or the like, comprising a body portion, {iukes pivoted to said body portion and a shank connected to the anchor chain or like member slidable longitudinally in said body portion and having its lower end flanged, said anged end being operatively engaged With said flukes for controlling' their movements and being adapted to enter into binding engagement With said lukes for maintaining them in open or closed position.

6. A device for use as an anchor, grapnel or the like comprising a body portion, flukes pivoted to said body portion, a shank connected to the anchor chain or like member slidable longitudinally in said body portion and having its lower end flanged, said flanged end being operatively engaged With said lukes for controlling` their movements and maintaining them in open or closed position, and a spring for automatically returning the shank to position to close said flukes.

7. A device for use as an Ianchor, grapnel or the like comprising a body portion, flukes pivoted to said body portion, a shank conneet-ed to the anchor chain or like member slidable longitudinally in said body portion and having its lower end flanged, said flanged end being operatively engaged with said iiukes for controlling their movements and being adapted to enter into binding engagement With said flukes for maintaining them in open or closed position, and a spring bolt locking the shank in position to maintain said flukes in open position.

Signed at London, England, this 30th day 45 of November, 1917.

ARLTON GOLLINGWOOD SHERMAN. HERBERT CTAVIUS MOCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, '.D. C. 

